Kiffin: Wake’s game buyout broke ‘unwritten rule’

Sep 16, 2024, 06:28 PM ET

Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin states Wake Forest broke “an unwritten rule” by purchasing its way out of next year’s matchup, leaving the Rebels looking for another major-conference opponent.The fifth-ranked Rebels beat the Devil Deacons 40-6 on Saturday in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, as part of a set up home-and-home series. There won’t be a rematch next season in Oxford, Mississippi.An individual with understanding of the choice verified that Wake Forest had actually canceled next year’s trip to Ole Miss and said the school is closing in on alternative scheduling alternatives. The individual spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday since the school isn’t commenting publicly on details.Kiffin broke the news about that choice in his postgame news conference and was still unhappy about the timing 2 days later.” That’s rarely ever done,” Kiffin stated Monday.”I’ve never ever truly become aware of doing it,

and it really puts us at a huge downside. It is what it is. It undoubtedly wasn’t valued quite, them putting us because situation.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated “Now we have actually got to go find somebody and most people are all scheduled up. And even when you find someone, you’ve got to go pay them. It

‘s type of a custom not to do that, actually.”The choice leaves Ole Miss needing to look for another Power 4 conference– or significant independent– opponent for next season or seeking a waiver from the

Southeastern Conference on that requirement. Getting a waiver would imply dealing with four nonconference teams, without having an opponent from among the 4 most prominent leagues.”That’s not what we want to do, but they might have put us in an inescapable circumstance not to,”Kiffin said.He differed with the timing of the decision.” I actually discover it fantastic that you wait till the week of the game to inform the group, “Kiffin said.The game was scheduled for Sept. 13, 2025.